A massive crowd of nobles and commoners alike gathered at a series of stands, slightly above a wooden octagon shaped ring tied together with three layers of ropes. Tonight was part of a special tournament in the underground world of Essnryi pit fighting. At the ring itself was a match was just ending.
A blond haired and small Connlaothian male was being beaten to a bloody pulp by a huge Adelan counter-part who had him pinned to the mat. When the Connlaothian finally succumb to unconsciousness, the beating stopped.
The victor raised his fisted arms in victory with the crowd cheering and walked away. This left leaving the defeated rival laying there to be picked up by a staff of slaves, tasked with the thankless job of carrying the wounded or dead fighters out and cleaning their mess during this tournament.
While most of the audience waited for the next match, a few of the fighters slave or not were placed one lower section of the stands on the west side, awaiting their turn to be called in.
Lani was tired. So, so tired. She'd just been sold to her third master in as many months, and not even half a day later here she was. At the pits. Again. She gave a heavy sigh, scrubbing her hands down her face in an effort to shut out the world.
She didn't want to look around her. She didn't want to see the people she'd be fighting.
So, so tired.
As Lani despaired about her situation, the next fight was already underway. One of the contenders came out from one of the tunnels, it was a young aspiring merchant princess named Saffia Alamein. Dressed in a golden theme outfit of a belly dancer, she stepped into the ring with a highborn air. As the daughter of the respectful yet struggling noble family, Safia, who been training in hand to hand saw this tournament as a means to show herself as someone strong and regain some of the family's honor. Very soon however, her opponent appeared from the opposite tunnel.
It was similarly young-looking woman yet wearing only a simple tan mini-skirt that covered only above the above the knees had on wrappings over her chest and its upper backside. It was Meeta Nefertari, a former slave that Lani that fought then became friends with a year before.
Would Lani look up and seen her, the nomad would note that Meeta had a more experienced look and a grown athletic yet attractive build to her than from before. The Essnryi half-breed jumped up into the ring from the other side of Safia for all the crowd to see.
Lani heard the crowd begin to mutter as the newest contenders entered the ring and, with a sigh, looked up.
Her eyes widened a bit. Slowly, a bitter sort of smile spread across her face. "Well well well," she murmured to herself. "Looking good, chiana..."
Meeta stood away from her opponent, resting her back at one corner. Safia did the same as they both wait for the gong to be rung. The princess/would-be fighter looked at her lowborn rival with casual indifference she would with any other slave and commoner. It wasn't wholly cruel reaction but it was enough to remind Meeta, of her distaste for the nobles's so-called sense of superiority.
As a freed woman and fighter she no longer had to tolerate such attitude without action...well at least in this ring. The gong was sound off and the fighters circle each other, attempting to detect any openings to take. This lasted for a half minute, before Safia finally rushed Meeta.
She fired a few fient punches for Meeta's head then spin kick for the other fighter's legs. Yet Meeta blocked and dodged them, jumping back away from the princess. Safia pursue her across the ring, continuing to punch and kick the former slave at any spot she can manage. Meeta did take some licks in the stomach and shoulders, but for the most part coninuted to dodge and pull other evasive methods, to avoid most would-be blows.
The several in the crowd jeered at what they perceived as cowardliness on Meeta's part. Yet the fighters with good eyes can tell what Meeta was really doing. She was in fact, baiting the other fighter into exposing herself.
Lani couldn't help grinning a bit. She didn't cheer or shout like the rest of the crowd, but she smiled. The girl had definitely learned something- a couple somethings, by the look of it- since they'd last seen each other.
After few minutes, Safia was getting restless as was the masses above. Each attack and move she made became more reckless yet Meeta refused to fully fight her. This frustrated the blue blooded woman so much that she attempt to tackle the ex-slave.
Got you. Meeta thought in that very moment. She twist to the side before shoving Safia face first into one of the left corners. The princess was trapped while Meeta began her counter-attack. Dazed, Safia turned around, meeting a fast series of punches and knee strikes into her gut and chest. It caused her to bend over, allowing Meeta to grabbed her hair and toss into the center of the ring.
While Safia struggle to get to her feet, the Essnryi half-breed went after her again without. The princess found herself struck all over her body and kept being thrown across the ring several times, not able to fight back for the next seven minutes. When Safia reared her brusied face once more on her knees, it felt the full force of Meeta's roundhouse kick.
The noble-raised fighter collapsed in backward, knocked out upon impact. This time, the crowd cheer, though Meeta didn't really care about their opinon, she committed a victory pose at one corner for appearance's sake. That when she spotted Lani in the stands, it caused her to pause momentarily before displaying a genuine smile.
After that Meeta left the ring and the slaves helped the defeated Safia back up and escorted her out. Soon it would Lani's turn to fight and she knew it.
Lani offered a small wave when she caught Meeta's smile, giving a quick, only slightly forced grin of her own.
Then there was a hand on her shoulder and her master's slavedriver's voice in her ear, shoving her toward the entrance of the tunnel that would take her to the ring.
Any emotion other than pure exhaustion left her.
As for Meeta, she reached the stands and took an open spot, right next to where Lani originally sat at. She noted her friend's abesence, realizing she was no doubt about to fight to. She looked to the ring, awaiting for the coming match.
Lani wanted nothing to do with this. The ring, the overly-aggressive woman coming out of the other tunnel, the whole damned city, none of it.
But she fell back into a crouch, waiting for her opponent to strike at the sound of the gong. Another slave, she thought- and she could usually tell- and one who was new to the pits.
Poor thing.
Meeta observed with interest. Despite having spent only a few days with Lani, she knew how nomad resent her present lot. Her heart wasn't into the fight, since this was one, not of her choice due to servitude she been cursed with. The younger woman just hoped Lani will be okay and make it through this mess.
Don't throw your life away. She thought as if she was speaking to her friend from the plains.
Her opponent was strong, she'd give her that. But she was slow, and she was scared. Two factors Lani could use to her advantage. She simply baited the other woman into lunging- again and again- until she was tired, unfocused.
And she struck. Her foot flew out, snapping her opponent's head back when she connected with her jaw. Follow that up with two quick jabs, one to the gut and one to the throat, and she had the other woman on her knees.
She'd learned by now not to demand her opposition yield. They never did. She slammed her head into the ground, knocking her unconscious.
Then she stood and walked from the ring, not even casting a glance back.
Meeta's heart went out to her friend, sure Lani won, yet the enslaved acted as if she was the one who lost. It becoming clear more and more that the burden of Lani's chains were getting heavier each day.
She waited in her sit for Lani to arrive, they were in a spot away from most of the fighters and the crowd, so they can have room to talk with some safety.
Lani's master gave her a nod from the stands and she replied with a rather obscene hand gesture. Before he or anyone else could stop her, she slipped back in among the fighters.
She spotted Meeta easily enough and made her way toward the young woman. "Hey there, chiana," she said quietly, tiredly. Forcing a smile, she added, "You did good today."
Answering first with a sutble smile and nod, Meeta spoke with some tease in her tone.
"Still calling me a child I see heh. Well thanks anyway, it's so great to see you again horse lady."
Lani sank down next to her with a sigh, muscles aching. "It's an endearment. Deal with it," she grumbled playfully. Her expression softened a bit. "Good to see you too."
Meeta kept smiling and nodded some more. She decided not tell Lani yet she was a free woman now, it would only add further frustration to her friend. Still it was best to talk while crowd focus on tne latest fight occurring at the ring.
"Funny how we run into each other like this. Though I believe in hindsight it was bound to happen. Count our small blessings I would say."
It would become obvious to Lani that Meeta had matured with a new confidence in herself than before yet smart enough not to be a show off about it.
"You look good," Lani noted, giving her a small nod as the next fight started. "How've you been, Meeta? You reach that goal you've been fighting for?"
The young half-breed checked her surroundings to see if anyone was listening to their conversation. Satisfied, she whispered.
"Well, not in the way I imagine it would be. Let's say some raiders in the desert ambush my old master's cavern. Kaa died in the attack but I survived and got away. The thing there is no one among his remaining household cronies or relatives who wants to collect me, they got bigger problems to worry about.
In essence her servitude was declared void with no one willing to claim her. She paused for a second before adding.
"Beside that I gotten myself a steady lover, he's a bounty hunter."
She grinned sheepishly that told Lani she was enjoying bedding with this man she spoke of.
Lani smiled at her and clapped her on the shoulder, ignoring the small pang in her heart. She missed Nemiera. "Well, good for you, chiana. But what the hell are you still doing in the pits? If you don't have to be here, why stay?"
Knowing this was sensitive topic for Lani, Meeta collected herself before replying.
"Lani...you remember that I said that I would choose my own fights once freed. I can't deny something that is a part of me. It's not my whole idenity sure, but it's a great pice of it, nonetheless."
Of course, she didn't added that her pit fighting career was secretly her cover as a spy for the same nomadic raiders who brought about her freedom.
Lani shook her head. She didn't understand exactly, but it wasn't her life. "To each her own, I guess," she muttered with a quick bark of slightly bitter laughter.
It seems like somethings haven't changed like some of their views on life. Meeta didn't want to argue and just watched a series of matches beside Lani. Some were were short or others were extended and there was even death a few of those fights.
Then the night's events ended with the crowd that will return tomorrow. Meanwhile the fighters headed to their quarters. Those freed had their own rooms while the slaves had to share a couple of cells. Yet Lani would find herself being escorted away from the cells by her current master's guards and into one of the private rooms. No doubt this was rather suprising for the slave, until the door closed behind her and she saw the lone occupant sitting at a large cushioned couch.
It was Meeta Neferatri. She spoke with amused grin.
"No doubt you have questions. To answer them I bride your master to have you here for the night. I explained I needed someone to spar with privately and he bought it. We can just relax like old times though, like massages you name it."
Lani laughed quietly, shaking her head. "Honestly I'm just relieved not to be sleeping in a cell," she replied, stretching her arms over her head and crossing to the couch.
"Fair enough" Meeta remarked as Lani came over the couch with her. The Essnryi half-breed brought out a fruit bowl that contained a couple of grapes and a pair of apples for them both to eat. As they eat sliently, the thought of Lani's disapproval eariler forced Meeta to speak.
"I understand why you don't want to keep fighting in the pits since you're forced to constantly. So tell me, why is wrong it's to fight of my own free will? Is it because of the crowd's bloodlust?"
Lani sighed, running a hand through her hair. "That's part of it, I guess," she muttered. "I just...I don't think people should do stuff like this for entertainment. It's not like we're putting on a play or something- people die in the pits."
She shrugged. "We're whores. We sell our bodies for the pleasure of others."
And every time she walked into an arena it hit her, the memory of the damn honor circle. But that was a little too personal.
The whore comment rather stung. It was unintentionally but the memory of her mother's status and what could've been her fate hit like any real punch would for Meeta. She tighten her hands, trying to control the growing anger. It finally stopped, she breathed slowly.
"Yes people do die there no denying that. Yet not as often as the gladiatoral arena, trust me I been there and was nearly killed in that experience. So what would you have me do? Give up fighting completely, and be a real whore or a beggar to be looked down on and spat at? Or better yet a assassin for hire who murders for a living.
That's the only other options for a so-called half-breed like me here in Essryn."
The references to real whore and half-breed were stated in an tone that leaked of bitterness. Sighing in resignation, she added.
"My homeland isn't perfect, not by a long shot, but it's still my homeland, Lani. And to fight is ingrained within my soul. Why should I deny that aspect because some fools find it entertaining?"
Lani shrugged again. "Like I said, to each her own. I won't tell you how to live your life. But this isn't my homeland, and I feel no obligation to it. If you want to fight, fight."
She sighed, letting her head fall back and closing her eyes. "I just...never had to fight without a cause before I was brought here. I was always fighting for something. Someone..."
Meeta understood that Lani had no real good reason to fight here. Unlike in own her case, it didn't seem that whatever owned her would actually set the nomad free.
"How about I give you a massage like from before, to relive some of that tension?"
She said the last part as a friend would.
She chuckled. "Well, I won't say no to that," she said with a small smile.
With permission granted, Meeta directed Lani to the bed. When her friend laid down on the bed, showing her bare back Meeta began the process once more. Rubbing her friend's backside gently, a question popped into Meeta's mind and she asked.
"Lani how would your people take to the likes of me, I ever went up to the plains?"
"The likes of you?" she repeated. "You mean because of your mother? Or because of what you do?" She shrugged. "Fighters are prized in the Duhjari, but we don't do arenas or gladiators. Sure we wrestle or battle each other occasionally- but like you and I did, for practice. For fun."
Shrugging again, she added, "We have a very strong link to family. You share our blood, any of our blood, and you are welcomed. You'd still have to prove yourself, but you wouldn't instantly be treated as an outsider."
Meeta nodded, grateful for her friend's answer. Perhaps she should look into that nomadic connection a lot more. It sounded mighty interesting. After she was done, it was her turn to get a massage. Stripping herself, she laid down, awaiting her treatment.
They switched places and Lani fixed her clothes as she set about returning the favor. "Why the sudden curiosity?" she asked. "I got the impression you'd never intended to leave Essyrn before."
"While Essyrn is my home, dosen't mean I shouldn't check out the Plains since it's where my mother from. Also in case I get in trouble here, knowing where to take refuge is a good plan to have."
Meeta explained while she purred in enjoyment as the tenison in her back started to subsided.
She smirked a bit. "You planning to get in trouble?"
"Well not a moment but who knows, maybe in the future. If you're not free by then Lani I'll help out you and we go together."
Once she said that, Meeta just relaxed for the rest of the session. When she was done, Meeta had a new thought in her mind. Turning to Lani with a challenging glint.
"I wonder who had the better figure between us now. Let's compare, if you don't mind."
Lani groaned dramatically, rolling her eyes. "I think you have an inferiority complex, chiana," she laughed, standing and stretching her arms over her head."
Her simply fighting attire did little to hide her figure as it was, so she doubted she was leaving a lot to Meeta's imagination.
Meeta put on her own fighting grab as she stood up. She posed several inches away from Lani as she examined her friend. Impressed, Meeta nodded in approval.
"Not bad at all horse lady. Yet I believe I win this one."
Lani snorted, shaking her head. "And you get annoyed that I call you a little girl," she teased.
"I dare you to call me a little girl again. Watch and see what's happens." Meeta teased right back before pushing Lani's left shoulder with one arm.
She smirked. "Oh, what're you gonna do, chiana?"
With a lopsided grin, Meeta answered simply.
"This"
Suddnely she tackle Lani by the waist, attempting take her to the ground. Yet the nomad stood firm and Meeta struggled to push harder while saying.
"Same rules like before. Though this time, the winner gets the bed all to herself tonight, after humiliating the loser of course."
Somewhere in the back of her mind, Meeta felt she was going to regret saying that. Thankfully there was no pool to be dunk into in this room.
"You're on." She suddenly went limp, allowing Meeta to knock them both to the ground. In a lightning quick movement, she grabbed the younger woman's hips and used the advantage of surprise to flip her over her head, springing back up and sinking into a defensive crouch.
Meeta got herself back up. She rush forward, aiming for the huge bed. Using it as leverage she leaped from it for an another attempt to tackle Lani.
She sidestepped the attack, throwing a hand out to shove Meeta's shoulder as she flew by.
In hindsight, this attempt was a stupid idea, but this was fun. Even so, it didn't matter when Lani dodged her attack and even shoved her.
She fell sideways unto the green cotten mat that covered much of the room's floor. Meeta started lifting herself up yet she was wide open to a counter-attack by Lani, who was several inches away behind her.
Lani essentially fell on her, using her superior size to pin her to the mat.
And then- because this was the first chance she'd had at fun in years- she started tickling her. Like a child. And she really didn't care.
Meeta laughed and giggle without control. "Stop, please stop!" She begged in a laughing voice while trying to get back up but kept there by Lani.
"Not a chance!" she crowed, tickling her with renewed vigor. "Who knew you had such a weakness?"
Meeta laughed harder as a result. Even so she struggle to break from the hold.
"If you ticking going to make me submit think again." Meeta declared, chuckling more and more.
"Oh I don't know," Lani said, tilting her head as though she was giving it real thought. "It seems to be going pretty well for me so far."
Finally Meeta regain some semblance of control, despite her still cackling. Payback She thought with renewed purpose. She brought her hands on Lani and started ticking her.
She squirmed, biting her lip to muffle bursts of giggles, but didn't relent in her assault either, catching desperately at Meeta's wrists every so often in an attempt to stop her tickling.
They were at a stalemate here, Meeta realized. She bit her own lips to contain further laugher, but did gave out muffed chuckles. While Lani didn't stop her tickling attack, Meeta's own efforts did relieve some of the pressure off when the nomad grasp at her wrists.
Once Lani did it again, Meeta took advantage of it, by slipping out of her friend's hold. Getting back up and formed a defensive stance.
"That was funny I'll admit."
Lani rocked back into a defensive stance of her own. "I'll take what fun I can get," she said, teasing.
Meta nodded before saying. "True be told I think we nearly busted our guts with all that laughing."
With that said, the ex-slave sprang forward again and locked arms with Lani.
She grunted but held her ground, pushing back with almost her full body weight. Waiting, calculating, trying to figure out her next move before it happened.
Lani would discover that her mixed race friend had gotten a little bit stronger than from before. She too held her ground, when Lani pushed further, Meeta pull back and let go, using the nomad's own strength against her, by letting fall. When she did, Meeta fell on her back and locked Lani's head with her right elbow.
"Get ready for some humiliation Lani. It's coming."
She groaned dramatically, but let her body relax a bit. "I yeild," she laughed, tugging lightly at Meeta's arm. "I do suppose it's my turn." She huffed, wriggled experimentally in her hold.
"Yes indeed." Meeta said in almost sinister-like voice. Then she let go of Lani's head, proceeding to ticking her across her body, as part of her own version of sweet revenge.
Lani squirmed and laughed, doing her best to beat Meeta's hands away with her own.
Meeta coninuted her humorous assualt on Lani, despite the nomad's efforts to knock off her hands. She finally stopped and sat on her friend's back grabbing ahold of the head and rubbed Lani's face over the rug.
"Alright, alright," Lani protested, laughing. She rolled away from her assailant as best she could, struggling into a sitting position.
Enough is enough Meeta realized. Shrugging she flexed her arms in victory.
"It seems that I have gotten better at this. As a generous victor I'll let you have the bed anyway."
Lani rolled her eyes, but she gave her a soft smile. "I don't mind sharing. I'm usually on a stone floor, so any bed is great."
With a slight giggle, she got up and sat on the bed. Meeta collected her breath then looked back at Lani.
"There another reason why your master let you join me here. It turns out you will be going up against a duo of fighters called the Blood Claws, tomorrow. Have you ever heard of them?"
She shook her head, frowning. "Honestly I don't usually pay attention. I just fight whoever they point me at, I don't bother to learn names."
Sighing, Meeta explained.
"They're savages. One of them is an Orc and the other is an Elf. Both are vicious and undefeated. So far, they killed or crippled their opponents. Sometimes they torture the victims for sport in the ring after the victory.
I seen it happen at one of their matches in another fight pit."
She shuddered at the memory before adding.
"So when I overheard your master talking about it, I offered to be your partner for that match. To keep up appearances, so that he didn't suspect our past connection, I pretended to volunteer in order to earn some coin from him."
Lani arched an eyebrow at her. "You didn't have to do that. You shouldn't have done that."
Silence for a long moment. Then:
"But thank you."
Meeta shook her head with a smile.
"Couldn't let a friend face those odds by herself. You're welcome."
She bit her lip for a second before speaking some more.
"Come to think about it, I never told you my mother's name...Miri."
The former slave didn't know exactly why to reveal this random information, yet she felt some unknown reason to do so.
Lani tilted her head. It wasn't exactly an uncommon Duhjari name, but for some reason it struck a chord. "Do you know what tribe she was from?" she asked slowly.
Meeta thought long and hard about her friend's question. She mentally searched her distant memories, trying any clues to the answer. Suddenly Meeta remembered, the brothel women that took care of her, did mentioned Miri's tribe. It was...
"Nasai...it was the Nasai, I believed." She finally answered, not realizing the revelation she just given to Lani.
Lani blinked at her. For a long moment, she was absolutely silent.
"Miri..." She repeated the name in a whisper. Suddenly her eyes seemed to snap back into focus. "Are you sure?" she demanded. "Meeta- are you absolutely sure?"
Taken aback and clrealy confused by Lani's reaction, Meeta replied.
"Yes Miri was her name. Why?"
She let out a long breath. "The- the Nasai...my people...they were led by a man called Koli for a long time. Koli had a sister, but she was kidnapped in a raid before I was even born. No one knew what happened to her."
She shrugged, feeling slightly stunned. "She was called Miri. That's all Koli- my father would ever say about her..." She trailed off, glancing over at Meeta and feeling like she was seeing her for the first time.
Upon Lani's explanation, Meeta was rendered speechless. She couldn't even move for several seconds, just staring at the other woman with newfound wonder
"That means we're kin! Cousins!" Meeta exclaimed loudly.
Lani gave a startled, disbelieving sort of laugh. "Yes. We are," she said wonderingly, still feeling a little too shocked to function properly.
Without warning, Meeta rushed Lani and embraced her with a biggest hug she could give. At the same time, younger woman was trying to keep herself from sobbing for utter joy.
Lani returned the hug tightly, emotions caught somewhere between confusion and joy, grief and excitement.
She had family. She'd thought all her blood, her closest kin, were dead. But it wasn't true. She still had family.
If this is a dream I don't want to wake up. Meeta thought happily. Despite her attempt to control herself, joyful tears softy streamed down her cheeks.
Lani patted her back- a little awkwardly, she was out of practice with giving affection.
Meeta finally let go of her friend, no this was her cousin she reminded herself. This was so much to take in, the young girl considered. Perhaps among the gods that exist, somone was generous to make this reunion possible. Regardless of whether it be fate or not, Meeta just overjoyed. She had only fellow slaves who rasied her like family, yet never did the Essnryi half-breed believe that she would be with actual bloodkin of hers in person.
"We must be related since we fought each other so much yet still get along togehter afterward." Meeta joked, very amused at the irony.
Lani chuckled, nodding. "I suppose so," she agreed quietly, still trying to wrap her head around this revelation.
"You would have liked our tribe," she said suddenly, without really thinking. Her face fell a bit and she added, "Well, when Koli was chief anyway. And I know he would have wanted to meet you..."
She was growing excited when Lani mentioned the tribe and her father, Meeta's uncle. Then when Meeta saw how Lani's joyful expression changed, she grew worried at the possablity that being hunted. Working up the courage moments later, Meeta finally asked
"What happen?"
She let out a sharp breath. "He...he got sick," she muttered eventually. "I was supposed to...it was my job to take his place, at least until he got better." She shrugged. "But he didn't get better."
Glancing away, she muttered, "Long story short, that's how I ended up here. In Essyrn."
The fact is Meeta never even laid eyes on her uncle Koli. Yet upon this latest confession that confirmed his death, her heart sank.
Why must life be so bittersweet to us?"
Yet what about the tribe was in all on this? How come they didn't prevent Lani's enslavment? There were so many questions that haunted the younger woman. Suddenly a horrible idea appeared in her mind and she became deadly slient before saying.
"The tribe they forsake you, our kin didn't they? Allowed you be taken away like mother!"
Her voice was filled pent-up fury that wanted out yet Meeta battle inwardly to stay somewhat composed. Yes, she never lived in the Serha Plains or been part of its tribes yet the nomadic blood in her veins cried out for vengeance at whoever let their own suffer in slavery.
Lani looked away. "They didn't...forsake me, exactly." She let out a sharp breath. "Our leaders must be strong. I had to fight to prove that I was strong enough to take over from my father."
Her face closed down, tone changing to steel. "I failed. That was it."
"There no excuse for allowing your kin to be sold off like an animal! It's one thing to be remove someone from leadership but to betray your own, what the point of that?"
Meeta retorted in disgust at those did this to Lani up north.
Those people have no idea what's like to live and die at the whims of masters. At best slaves here would be treated with indifference like you would with furniture. At worst as pawns to be used and discard at their selfish pleasure.
She shrugged again. "I'm not making excuses for them. But you should know my father- and others who knew her- missed your mother. They never allowed her to be taken. They just didn't know how to get her back."
Her own story was a different matter, but she didn't want to think about that.
Its good that her mother's memory wasn't forsaken. Yet seem that tribe did abandoned what's left of their family, soon after the chieftain passed. She still hated that Lani had to go through such an ordeal, it's no wonder her cousin didn't want to share the details of those events she was likely concealing.
Yet if it wasn't Lani being thrown into Essryn, they wouldn't have met and discover the truth about each other. Sitting on the bed, Meeta contemplated everything silently.
Letting out a long sigh, Lani rubbed her hands down her face. "We should get some rest," she murmured. "This...this is a lot."
"Right." Meeta uttered back along with her own sigh. She took left side of the bed and half of the pillows, leaving Lani with the reminder.
"Despite how this came about, I'm glad to discover that we're family."
She said that as she turn around to lay down, pulling on the covers and closed her eyes.
She smiled a bit, laying on her side of the bed. "Me too..."
They slept through the sleep until was morning. After that they got ready and meet up with Lani's master at the halls before heading back to the stands. Once situated they watched a new wave of matches take place.
Lani was still distracted, not really paying attention to the matches taking place before her eyes. Her mind seemed to be locked in a state of semi-shock.
Every so often, Meeta took a second to check on Lani only to see her in a trance-like state.
Hope she dosen't stay that way when our turn comes up. Even working together as a team it's going to be rough for both of us.
After all, the Blood Claws are among the most infamous yet effective fighters here in the Capital. They been partner together for years so they would have an edge over them on that at least. It's the shame that Lani and her didn't had enough time to warm up for this, but that couldn't be help now. She breathed in and out.
Until the slave master behind signal them to head down the ring, their fight is up next.
Lani snapped back to herself. "Alright. Let's get this over with," she muttered, stretching her arms over her head quickly and nodding at Meeta.
Once they were out of sight from the slave owner, Meeta spoke up.
"Lani, I know it's hard to be motivated when forced to fight like you always since being in this land. Though, this isn't any regular bout you or I have ever been in. This is could be a fight to the death for both of us. We can't try to knock these savages out quickly, it won't work on them. We have to defeat the Blood Claws completely if we want to make it out of this alive."
She paused, collecting her words swiftly to avoid getting further emotional
"If noting else please fight to survive. I don't want to lose you, too cousin."
Lani nodded sharply. "I know. I don't plan to lose." She gave her a quick, small smile. "Don't worry, cousin. We've got this."
Slighty more relieved than before, Meeta turned her attention to the ring that came in sight. She and Lani step into the arena and waited. It wasn't long when their opponents entered the fray. As Meeta mentioned there was an Elf and Orc, both of them women and wearing matching crimison linen brassieres and veiled liontclothes.
The Elf, named Vivi stood five feet and eleven inches tall with a very athletic figure. Her hair was light brown color formed into a short low ponytail. The last noticable trait of her was the orange eyes one would associate with a predator-like cat. Her partner, the Orcish woman, Bathild was more muscular and stood six feet and two inches tall with two tusk-like teeth, prowling out from the lower lip. Her skin was a dirt tannish color and had was completely bald.
There were red Orc tattoos on both cheeks and her exposed stomach. They symbolize the kills she made and the foes she had eaten afterward. They came inside the ring, starting at Lani and Meeta with sadastic pleasure. Being this was tag-team match, the rules were a bit different, each side were allowed one member to fight until they clap their partner's hand to take their place. Of course, if one group cheated by using both of its members, then the only side was allowed as well.
"Do you want to go first or should I?" Meeta asked her cousin as they met their fearsome rivals with defiance.
Lani smirked at their opponents, then glanced at the other girl out of the corner of her eye. "Show me what you got, chiana."
Nodding and pleased, Meeta rolled her neck in preparation. Meanwhile Vivi the Elf elected herself to fight first for the Blood-Claws. Lani and Bathild step back, behind the ring posts on opposite sides as their partners began to circle one another.
Then the gong rang, signaling the fight to begin. They didn't waste anytime, Viv and Meeta locked arms with each other and grapple back and forth. Bathild looked at Lani with a demon's grin and locked her lips in a way that told the nomadic slave that the Orc wanted devour her flesh.
Throwing the orc a rather rude hand gesture, Lani focused her attention on the fight. She knew this was going to be tough, but she also knew her cousin was a born fighter.
Meeta didn't disappoint. She repeatly struck her left knee into Vivi's gut for several seconds, before head-butting her. It did cause the Elven woman to stagger, long enough for her human counter-part to take advantage of. She griped Vivi by the neck in a headlock and pulled her down to the mat hard on her back. The Essnryi half-breed refused to let go, maintaining her hold as best as she manage.
It was successful for...three minutes. Viv out of desperation, bit into Meeta's right arm that held her neck. Crying out, Meeta let go by accident and Viv made her pay for it. First she slammed the back of her head into Meeta's face and rolled up back. To avenge her earlier humiliation, Viv grabbed her foe by the hair and pulled her back up then shoved Meeta into a ring on the lower left corner, away from Lani and Bathild.
Meeta was trying to recover, when Vivi charged head first right in the young human's chest. With the wind knocked out of her, Meeta could only attempt to block her enemy's furry of hard punches being thrown at her.
She had the impulse to cover her eyes, but she knew she couldn't do that to Meeta. "Come on, chiana," Lani muttered, fists clenching so hard her nails bit into her palms. "Come on, get up. Give it right back to her..."
She was able to block many of the blows but those that connected were sheer torture. Meeta endure it for now but she couldn't hold out like this for long. When Vivi threw a left hook for her face, Meeta dodged it and shot out a hard uppercut at the Elf's mouth.
With blood spilling from her, Viv fell back slighty, giving her opponent more room to fight back. Striking back with a vengeance, Meeta unleashed a series of straight punches and low kicks. Several of them made impact but Vivi recover by this point and returned the favor. They traded blow for blow with brutal fashion, for three minutes until they both fell back.
They rush over to their partners and clapped their hands to switch up the fighters.
It took about four seconds for Lani to figure out that there would be no finesse in this fight. The orc charged her and from then on it was just a matter of dodging blows in the hopes that she wouldn't break anything, returning kicks and punches when she could.
She somehow managed to stay on her feet, but she was tiring quickly. Too quickly.
Meeta stayed where, her body already bruised in several spots. Nose and mouth were bleeding she observe Lani's fight with the Orc, with concern. She noticed her cousin's fatigue and feared Bathild was aware and will likely exploit it.
She got careless. One sloppy move, one second too late on a dodge, and the orc took her down, using her superior size and strength to send her crashing to the floor.
Gasping, Lani rolled to the side just in time to avoid having her skull crushed in by a massive fist. She didn't even have time to get to her feet, could only scramble out of the way as blows were rained down on her, blocking those she could and rolling away from the impact of those she couldn't.
"Lani fight back!" Meeta called out, watching with growing horror at the situation her friend and relative was facing.
Gritting her teeth, Lani flung herself backward, arching her back and springing up to deliver a punishing kick to the orc's gut.
It wasn't a great hit, at least not by her standards, but it was enough to buy her some time. Enough that the clock on their fight ran out.
Panting, she made her way back out of the arena, clutching at the walls to keep herself upright.
The former slave wanted to go over and help Lani but already Vivi step inside the ring. Young Meeta couldn't afford to let the crowd that she and nomad did had a family connection. That would make things hard for Lani and it would be used as leverage against both of them by any merchant prince cruel enough to exploit that aspect and there plenty who fit the bill.
Meeta sighed and went into the fighting arena. Once more, Vivi and her went at with each other. This time both were prepared.
Straightening up, Lani bit her lip as she watched the younger woman enter the ring. "Horse Lords protect her," she muttered unconsciously under her breath.
The elf and the human duked it out with great ferocity. Within a few minutes into it, Meeta gained the upper hand. She broke through Vivi's defenses and battered her with repeated kick attacks from left to right. Yet Vivi countered grabbing ahold of Meeta by the waist and throwing her down on the mat.
Giving her no time to recover, Vivi fell Meeta's back with her weight. Smiling viciously, she took her victim by the hair and dragged her over to where the Orc was. She clapped hands with Bathlid and they switched places.
Bathlid showed no mercy, she proceeded to bring Meeta up to smashed a fist into the young girl's stomach then a high kick to the face. Meeta collasped sideways while Bathlid stood over, intending to toy with this human, however she see fit.
Lani sucked in a sharp breath, wincing in sympathy with every blow. "Meeta! Tap out!"
The Orc beat and threw Meeta around across the ring's mat in repeated fashion. She was clearly enjoying every minute of it. Meeta found herself held from her left shoulder to the rear end by her towering foe who then bodyslam her to the ground. Crying out in agony, Meeta waited until Bathlid got back up before sweeping the Orc's legs.
It worked, causing Bathlid to fall backward. Taking advantage her enemy's surprise, Meeta rolled away back to Lani and tap, letting the nomad take her place.
Lani didn't hesitate this time, leaping at the orc and delivering as many blows as she could before the other fighter got to her feet.
She danced out of the way, starting a vicious game of cat and mouse as she dodged blow after blow, waiting for a moment of carelessness that she could exploit.
Bathlid grew more and more frustrated. These puny humans were proving troublesome, she punched and kicked as hard as fast she could to smash Lani. Suddenly the Orc let herself open at the stomach area when attempted right hook punch for the side of Lani's head.
Taking the sliver of an opening, Lani put all her weight behind a spinning kick delivered to the orc's gut, sending them both careening away from each other. Recovering quickly, she spun on her heel to observe her opponent, arms raised defensively to block her face and solar plexus.